YOU GUYS!!! I went to water my seeds again that I planted Saturday and the Romaime lettuce is already sprouting! 🥬🥬 Now, I must admit I didn't check that they were on the winter list for planting this early, and picked them up that morning because I was thinking of my bunnies.🤦‍♀️🐇🐇 However, it looks like it might be okay to plant them this early as long as they get plenty of light indoors?

I’m in Mexico for a few days and today we visited the chinampas in Xochimilco. Chinampas are basically man made islands that are created by layering the lake’s mud with grass and twigs, building many layers on top of each other, similar to what we call lasagna gardens, chinampas are some of the most productive garden systems on earth. It’s so impressive to see the huge size of these chinampas, built hundreds of years ago, standing in the middle of the city. In the picture, I’m standing on a chinampa, holding a cube of the most beautiful soil where we planted three sunflower seeds, as a ritual for the native people here, we plant one seed for ourselves, one for Mother Earth and one for the “thief” or someone in need. This is a very special place if you are ever in Mexico City make sure to visit it. Mexico City is huge and at some point is was an extension of chinampas and channels to navigate. Taking this concepts back into our region, it makes me think about how we can work with our landscape and utilize key line or swales on contour to slow and spread water through our landscape, even in small backyards, and create very productive growing systems, think of rain gardens, food forests, syntropic agriculture. This is how we apply regenerative agriculture and ecological design.

Looks like I’m a western outpost for this group… please reach out if you’re interested in exchanging seeds

With this winter storm moving through, it might feel like everything outside is just… snow. Still, what’s one thing you’ve noticed in your yard recently? Maybe where snow is piling up or melting first, how the wind moves through your space, or how the landscape feels different when everything slows down. And for those of you in milder zones, what are you noticing as you look ahead to the growing season? A sentence, a photo, or just reading along is perfect. my share: one of my go to plants for four seasons show: Redtwig Dogwood. ⛄

Your quick guide to getting the most out of this community Hey friends, I’m Paulo, and I’m so glad you’re here. This club was created to bring together gardeners, growers, nature lovers, and anyone who wants to reconnect with the seasons and build a meaningful, beautiful, resilient life. Whether you grow veggies, natives, ornamentals, fruit trees, or you’re just getting started… this is your home. This post will help you get oriented in under 2 minutes. 1. Introduce Yourself Jump into the Introductions thread and tell us: - Where you’re growing - What kind of garden you have (or want to have) - What you’re excited to learn this season We’re all neighbors here, even if we’re spread out across the world. 2. Grab Your Free Resources Inside the club you’ll find: The Kitchen Garden Course, a simple ACTION plan to get your garden started 3. Join the Conversation Post photos, questions, plant IDs, project ideas, or things you're working on. This club works because we grow together, not alone. No question is too basic. No garden is too small. No mistake is too embarrassing, we’ve all made them! PLEASE BE KIND AND NO SELF PROMOTION. 4. Local Members: Join the Meetups If you're in Fort Collins or the Front Range, keep an eye out for: - Garden tours - Seed swaps - Community work days - Workshops and seasonal gatherings These are a huge part of what makes this club special. 5. Stay Connected Check your notifications so you don’t miss: - Weekly posts - Seasonal garden guidance - Local events - New videos and resources If you miss anything, everything stays organized inside Skool. 6. Our Guiding Principles We follow the three permaculture ethics in everything we do: 1. Care for the Earth 2. Care for the People 3. Return the Surplus These aren’t rules, they’re the spirit of how we show up here. 🌼 You're Here. You're Part of This. Let's Grow. Thank you for being part of the Mandala Garden Club.This community is built on kindness, curiosity, and a shared love for the land.